Mark Kochhar has been appointed as Director, Franchise Development, Canada at Hilton
Originally from Vancouver and now based in Toronto, Kochhar holds more than 13 years of experience with Hilton and three decades in the hospitality industry. During his tenure with the company, he has developed deep expertise across hotel development, owner relations, and brand management and performance, with a strong focus on long‑term partnerships and strategic growth. Prior to his current role, Kochhar served as Director, Owner Relations, Canada for Hilton, working closely with owners and operators nationwide to support performance, alignment, and brand standards. Before joining Hilton’s corporate team, Kochhar served as general manager of the former Hilton Garden Inn Toronto City Centre.
Kochhar is a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Victoria, along with an associate degree in Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Management from Douglas College. He is actively engaged in the Canadian hospitality industry and serves on the Hotel Association of Canada Board of Directors (Brand Category), contributing to industry advocacy at the national level.
Kochhar’s appointment complements Hilton’s existing Canadian development team of regional, in‑market specialists, including Jeff Cury, Senior Director, Development, Canada and Christopher La Vine, Senior Analyst, Development, Canada. Cury, a long‑standing leader within Hilton’s Canadian development organization, has been central to advancing the company’s growth strategy across the country, helping to steward a strong and diverse portfolio and pipeline while deepening partnerships with owners and developers. La Vine, who recently joined the company, supports development activity nationwide with market analysis and pipeline management.
Canada remains an important growth market for Hilton, where the company now has more than 200 hotels welcoming travelers and more than 100 properties in various stages of development. The expanded structure reinforces Hilton’s multi-brand strategy and its commitment to supporting owners and developers with localized expertise as demand grows across urban and secondary markets, particularly within the lifestyle, extended-stay and focused‑service categories.